ABSTRACT
Numerous modalities for hepatic tumor ablation are currently used including ethanol
injection, radiofrequency ablation (RFA), cryoablation, and microwave ablation. The
results and complications of these various tumor ablation techniques have been reported
extensively, with the most data existing for percutaneous RFA. One of the most serious
complications from tumor ablation is the seeding of cancer cells along the ablation
tract. The incidence and risk factors for tract seeding in RFA have been reported,
but little information regarding this complication with other ablation modalities
has been reported. We report a case of tumor seeding into the pleural space following
percutaneous cryoablation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
KEYWORDS
Hepatocellular - carcinoma - cryoablation - tumor seeding
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William RillingM.D.
Department of Radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin
9200 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53226
Email: wrilling@mcw.edu
